Collective narcissism drives hierarchy-reinforcing action in perpetrator groups but hierarchy-challenging action in victim groups.

Evidence

This research reveals that collective narcissism predicts, among members of historical perpetrator groups, support for reactionary belief systems and collective action that reinforce existing hierarchies (e.g., White supremacy) and, among members of historical victim groups, support for revolutionary belief systems and collective action that challenge these hierarchies (e.g., the Black Lives Matter movement). Yet, common to collective narcissists in both historical victim and perpetrator groups is their sense of moral righteousness and the choice of adversarial, coercive means-including violence-to advance their goals (Keenan & Golec de Zavala 2025). — Nurit Shnabel and Johannes Ullrich, Identity Needs in Intergroup Relations, 129

Categorization

• XREF: Directly mirrors the victim-agentic/perpetrator-moral asymmetry central to the reader’s existing synthesis on identity-restoration needs — perpetrator groups cling to hierarchy (moral restoration), victim groups challenge it (agentic restoration). — connects to: Both perpetrator- and victim-group members engage in competitive victimhood when accused — Nurit Shnabel and Johannes Ullrich, Identity Needs in Intergroup Relations:…, 120; Collective victimhood feelings suppress reconciliatory actions across both groups — R. C. Tripathi, R. Kumar, and V. N. Tripathi, When the Advantaged Feel Victimised:…, 121; Collective victimhood drives revenge more than reconciliation in both groups — R. C. Tripathi, R. Kumar, and V. N. Tripathi, When the Advantaged Feel Victimised:…, 128 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Narcissistic self-regard may be projected onto groups as competitive victimhood. #expands (0.88) — Nurit Shnabel and Johannes Ullrich, Identity Needs in Intergroup Relations, 150
• Collective victimhood drives revenge more than reconciliation in both groups #complicates (0.82) — R. C. Tripathi, R. Kumar, and V. N. Tripathi, When the Advantaged Feel Victimised, 128
• Threatened group identity drives scapegoating and reassertion of superiority. #exemplifies (0.80) — Leonard S. Newman and Ralph Erber (eds.), Understanding Genocide, 824
• Collective victimhood feelings suppress reconciliatory actions across both groups #complicates (0.78) — R. C. Tripathi, R. Kumar, and V. N. Tripathi, When the Advantaged Feel Victimised, 121
• Dominant groups frame subordinate challenges as illegitimate pushiness #exemplifies (0.78) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3415
• Intraracial homicide among subordinates functions as slow-motion collective self-debilitation #exemplifies (0.76) — Joseph Avery, Jim Sidanius, Joel Cooper, Gregory Davis, Amanda N., Bias in the Law, 109
• Social hierarchy is maintained by dominants and subordinates cooperatively #complicates (0.75) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3212
• Hierarchy persists through individual, institutional, and subordinate-side processes jointly #qualifies (0.72) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3191